Sunday, May 1, 2011

We all know the start of the 90’s was in a terrible state of style. It’s no wonder really that 6 years into the decade we would see bands longing to bring back a sense of flash and excitement. Usually it’s a 15 year cycle before what’s old is new again. But in a pool of flanel and matted down unwashed hair, sprouted young twenty-somethings to study the sound and design of Roxy Music, Adam Ant, & Japan records.

Plastic Fantastic (pictured above) were among a group of a handful of bands leading the way in this movement labeled ‘romo.’ Which was a hybrid of taking “new romantics” and merging it with “modernists.” As the music also suggested, it was not just a rehash of 80’s, no no, that would come later in 2004 with some very lame bands that deliberately set out to be retro while forgetting to put their own spin on it.

The romo bands had personality. Plastic Fantastic’s singer, Stuart, with his golden glam charisma, hell, he could be the mascot for Glambone!

“Complementary Electron” shows a tip of the hat to Roxy Music, while

injecting their own character in to it.

You’ve probably heard enough about SXSW right now, but let it be said again that Jimmy (Thrill) Quill’s end of bash at his Red Horse ranch was a blast. Moments upon arriving, I was unexpectedly whisked away to the house to talk privately with rock legend, singer/actor Michael Des Barres. For being in his young 60’s, the man looks and sounds great. Exuding class, coolness, sex appeal, and hunger for rock ‘n roll. Listen as he recounts the time when pal Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame patched up a few loose ends when the Powerstation suddenly decided Michael wasn’t going to be the singer, only to rehire him immediately after Don’s intervening. He also tells us about coming to the States for the first time. “I came to America in ’72 with Silverhead, this glam rock band which was a classic case of a band that collectively weighed 150lbs and was addicted to every drug known to man, every sexual experience possible, and completely oblivious to anything other than three chords and velvet.”

The ‘cast closes with a guy outta Vegas by the name of Gigli. His EP was produced by Ron Mancuso of Bang Bang/Beggars & Theives noteriety. No clue what he’s done since this 2000 release, but the track featured “Katherine Miller Seriel Killer” is one of those gems that

should’ve garnered him lots of attention, maybe the fact that his image was too Bob Mould-like had something to do with him going unnoticed, now had he thrown a feather boa around his head and applied heavy eyeshadow to his mug like Angie Aparo, then maybe his chances at that point in time would’ve served him well.